Weft thread cutter and guard



Jan. 12, 1954 Filed Aug. 1, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

INVENTOR RALPH L. TICE ATTORNEYS Jan. 12, 1954 Filed Aug. 1, 1951 R. L.TICE 2,665,718 WEFT THREAD CUTTER AND GUARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 0 Fl G[60 l6 [4 i X L? f I8c D I4 I7 FIG. 3 6

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INVENTOR RALP H L. TICE BY YfiQ/Zarr/ ATTORNEYS Jan. 12, 1954 R. L. TICEWEFT THREAD CUTTER AND GUARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 1, 1951INVENTOR RALPH L. TICE fidwuiffia/h v ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 12, 1954UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WEFT THREAD CUTTER AND GUARD Ralph L. Tice,Columbus, Ga. Application August 1, 1951, Serial No. 239,755

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to automatic filling replenishing looms ofthe type which employ a parting means for parting and clamping theoutgoing filling ends adjacent the shuttle box, as exemplified in the U.S. patents to Stafford, No. 1,552,388, granted September 1, 1925, andNo. 1,568,481, granted January 5, 1926.

Such a thread cutter functions to cut the cutgoing filling end at thetime of a bobbin transfer so that'the yarn of the ejected bobbinmay bedrawn out of the eye of the shuttle as the bobbin drops into the can;and additionally functions to hold out of the way of the moving shuttlethe severed end of the discarded filling (the outgoing filling end)still attached to the selvage until this end is cut by the temple threadcutter several picks after the bobbin change.

Operation of the replenishing mechanism also incidentally results in theformation of an incoming filling end which normally extends between thecloth selvage and the fixed holder or battery stud of the replenishingmechanism, above said thread cutter and across the path of movementthereof into and from the shuttle box. When this incoming filling end isparted at the cloth selvage by the temple thread cutter following abobbin transfer, it frequently falls across the said thread cutter. Dueto its then slack condition, it may then tend to work between the cutterblades and/or the clamping blades of the thread cutter and wedge orspread these apart to impair either or both the parting and clampingfunctions of the thread cutter.

In the past it has been necessary to provide for periodic manual removalof the so-called wild yarn or filling ends tending to thus clog thethread cutter. And such clogging, with resulting defective functioningof the thread cutter has resulted in undesirable defects in the cloth,as is obvious and well known to those skilled in the art.

It is accordingly a primary object of the invention to provide a threadguard or deflector associated with the thread cutter in such manner astodeflect and remove such wild yarn or filling ends from the threadcutter. Thus such a guard may serve to automatically maintain the threadcutter clear at all times and enable it to perform its intendedfunctions with greater efficiency than heretofore.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the replenishing side of anautomatic loom having the preferred embodiment of the inventionoperatively applied thereto;

Figure '2, a fragmentary plan view. on an enattached to a fixed holderlarged scale, of the thread cutter and associated parts shown in Figure1;

Figure 3, a fragmentary side elevation, on a similarly enlarged scale,of the mechanism shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4, a view similar to Figure 2 showing a modified form of threadguard employed in conjunction with the thread cutter; and

Figure 5, a view similar to Figure 3, showing a side elevation of thethread cutter employing such modified thread deflector or guard.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, the loom thereinshown is but fragmentarily illustrated, inasmuch as the parts andmechanism not shown are of usual construction which is well known in theart and forms no part of the present invention. In addition, certain ofthe parts that are shown are old and well known, they being of thepresent invention only in that they are illustrative of parts that maybe used in the combinations defined by the accompanying claims. The oldparts include a loom frame, of which part of a right hand loom side Iand a breast beam 2 are shown, and also include a reciprocating lay ofwhich the lay beam 3, reed 4, and shuttle box 5 are illustrated. Shuttlebox 5 is located at the replenishing end of the lay at the right handside of the 100111.

The filling supply is carried by a shuttle 6 which is picked from sideto side of the 100111, along the lay beam 3, by suitable means which mayinclude a picker stick 1. As the shuttle is thus picked, it lays fillingthread in the shed S and this filling thread is beaten into the fell ofthe cloth C by the reed 4. A fresh filling supply is provided bysuitable automatic replenishing mechanism when the filling supply in theshuttle is substantially exhausted.

The replenishing mechanism may be of any usual construction, such as thebobbin changing mechanism indicated at 8. l

on the bobbins H] are H on the magazine.

The transfer of a bobbin w to the shuttle t and the subsequent pickingof the shuttle results in the formation of a length of filling threadwhich extends from the holder or battery stud H through the shed S. Thesubsequent beating in of the portion of this thread which is in the shedleaves the end 1 projecting from the cloth selvage. This filling end isknown in the art as the incoming filling end. When the loom is operatingwith a filling feeler, not shown, the replenishing operation results information of another filling end 1" projecting from the cloth selvage.This end i extends from the selvage to the outgoing bobbin in theshuttle and is known as the outgoing filling end. These filling ends arethus formed by the operation of the replenishing mechanism, but theformation is incidental to the major function, replenishing the fillingsupply.

The outgoing filling end I must be parted, at the time of transfer,between the cloth selvage and the shuttle. This function is effected byparting and clamping mechanism comprising the parting and clampingblades 12, pivotally connected at 3 to function in the manner of shearsor shear blades.

These blades are normally closed, to grip a filling end f as shown, butas slidably mounted on a stationary supporting bracket it, means beingprovided for moving them rearwardly toward the shuttle box and openingthem, just prior to each replenishing operation. The opening of theblades l2 releases the filling end f held thereby, which filling endnormally extends from beneath the lower edge of the blades 12 to thecloth selvage. Then, as the replenishing operation takes place, theblades are again closed to part and clamp the new outgoing filling endand the blades are again moved forwardly or retracted to remainstationary in their normal retracted position until the nextreplenishing operation. This parting and clamping mechanism is not ofthe present invention, but is well known in the art as a Stafford threadcutter, it being disclosed and claimed in the Stafford Patent No.1,552,388 of September 1, 1925.

The filling ends f and J" are parted adjacent the cloth selvage by anysuitable means, as exemplified by the usual temple thread cutter 55. Itwill be apparent that the parting of these filling ends by the templethread cutter l5 will leave them substantially free and uncontrolled.While the filling ends i will then be suspended from the blades 12 andfall free upon opening of the blades at the commencement of areplenishing operation, it will be noted that the filling ends 1 willnormally extend substantially above the parting and clamping blades l2.Thus upon being parted adjacent the cloth selvage, these filling ends orincoming filling ends 1 will often tend to fall on and across the bladesl2. When this occurs, portions of the filling ends I may eventually workbetween the cutting and clamping blades, tending to wedge or spread themapart, with the result that the cutting and/or clamping functions of theblades 12 may be seriously impaired. Because of this it has heretoforebeen necessary to periodically remove the filling ends 3 from the bladesl2 at sufiiciently close intervals to prevent clogging of the blades,with consequent defects in the cloth produced by the loom.

In accordance with my present invention, I provide a thread uard ordeflector having a pier"- erably continuous rearwardly presentedthreadengaging face and so constructed and associated with the blades i2 as toautomatically maintain these blades clear of clogging by thread fillingends 3 or wild yarn, thereby rendering the periodic manual removalunnecessary and also improving the quality of the cloth produced.

Such a thread guard, generally designated G, is fixedly supported on theloom, as by means of a supporting arm l6 bolted or otherwise secured onthe cutter knife supporting bracket M by a bolt l! which may be one ofthe same bolts used in securing together separate parts or sections ofthe bracket, The bracket, in turn may be supported by a usual dead shaftD in the manner set forth in the aforesaid Stafford U. S. patents.

The bolt opening through said arm preferably comprises a slot 15aextending longitudinally of said arm in order to permit longitudinaladjustment of the arm it, as Well as lateral angular adjustment thereofabout the bolt IT.

This arm it extends above and across the cutter blades I? to rigidlysupport a thread guard member H3 at its free end in operative relationwith the parting and clamping blades l2. In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention the connection between the arm [6 and the guard I8 is suchas to permit vertical adjustment of the guard member. Thus the positionof the element or member l8 relative to the blades l2 may be adjustedsubstantially universally to attain the optimum working relation betweenit and the blades [2.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the free end of thearm I6 is provided with a vertical bore through which is disposedavertical shank lBa of the guard member 18. A set screw H! is operableto maintain the shank [8a in any desired position of adjustment.

Above the arm It the shank I80, is provided with a forwardly extendingsection or portion lBb, from which a rearwardly presented threaddeflecting abutment or guard element depends to its rear terminal end toa level at least somewhat below the upper edges of the blades l2, and toa location somewhat forwardly and to one side of the rearwardlyprojecting free ends of the blades 52 in their normal retractedposition, all as illustrated in Figure 3.

It may be advantageous to have the lower terminal end or free end of theguard element 13c at a level between the upper and lower edges of theblades 12, whereby said element may prevent forward movement of fillingends f above and onto the said blades, but will avoid contacting orinterfering with the filling ends f clamped between and extending frombeneath the lower edges of the said blades, as the blades 12 withdrawsuch filling ends f forwardly from the shuttle box.

Preferably the guard element or portion lBc slopes downwardly andrearwardly to its free terminal end, and in a plane passing above andjust rearwardly of the blade free ends, as best shown in Figure 3. Withsuch an arrangement, it will be seen that the filling ends fallingacross the guard element We will be caused by gravity to slide down saidelement rearwardly and fall clear of the blades l2.

In order to maintain the filling ends in proper operative relation tothe guard element I80, the latter may be formed at its upper extremitywith a rearwardly overhanging thread depressor or stop portion lBd,beneath which the filling ends j are run by operation of the loom, andwhich cooperates with the guard portion i8c in defining a rearwardlyopening thread receiving notch, as is believed readily apparent.Obviously such a notch is positioned with its apex somewhat below andrearwardly of a straight line extending between the temple thread cutterl5 and the battery stud l I, to deflect the filling end somewhat fromsuch a line and thus cause it to remain in such a notch.

In the operation of such a thread guard, it will be apparent that thefilling ends disposed therethrough during operation of the loom and itsautomatic replenishing mechanism will, when severed by the temple threadcuttezgtend to'slide rearwardly down the guard element I80 and falltherefrom free of the parting and clamping blades I2. Though suchfilling ends may then remain suspended from the battery stud II, theywill be clear of the blades I2 and in a position least apt to interferewith the operation of any of the loom mechanism. As at present, thesedangling filling ends may be removed from the battery stud I! atsuitable intervals by manual means.

In operation, as above mentioned, the said thread guard element I80 isdisposed to One side of the blades I2, but only to the extent necessaryto permit rearward movement of said blades toward and from the shuttlebox in the course of replenishing operations. Otherwise the element I8is disposed preferably so close to the blades I2 as to havesubstantially the same effect on the filling ends 1 as though it weredisposed directly over the blades I 2.

The thread guard attachment or member here tofore described is adaptedfor efficiently handling relatively light threads or yarns, and thus maybe emciently formed with its section or member I8 as an integral bentwire construction.

In Figures 4 and 5 I have shown an alternative construction of threadguard which is applied to and cooperates with the parting and cuttingblades I2 in exactly the same manner as the preferred embodiment firstdescribed. However, in this alternative form the guard member I8 isformed as an integral metal block. secured to the end of the supportingarm It by a bolt I? for angular adjustment about a horizontal axissubstantially in alignment with the arm I 6'. This guard member or blockI8 is formed with a rearwardly opening notch N, the lower edge of whichhas a downwardly sloping surface [300 disposed relative to the blades I2and functioning in the same manner as the guard element I8c of thepreferred embodiment. The overhanging edge Ifilld serves the samepurpose as the thread depressor ltld of the preferred embodiment.

Such a relatively heavy type of guard element or member I8 may be usedto advantage in connection with relatively heavy threads or yarns.

In this application I have shown and. described only the preferredembodiment of my invention and a single modification thereof. However Irecognize that my invention is capable of other and differentembodiments and that the several details thereof may be modified invarious ways, all without departing from my said invention.

Accordingly, the drawings and description herein are to be considered asmerely illustrative in nature, and not as exclusive.

I claim:

1. In an automatic filling replenishing loom of the class in whichparting and clamping blades are movable rearwardly into the shuttle boxto part and withdraw therefrom the outgoing filling end at the time of areplenishing operation, said parting and clamping blades normally beingdisposed in a forwardly retracted position, the combination With saidparting and clamping blades of a thread guard fixedly supported on saidloom, said guard comprising a guard element and an overhanging stopportion, said guard element being disposed rearwardly of said blades inthe forwardly retracted position thereof and sloping rearwardly anddownwardly, and said overhanging stop portion projecting rearwardly fromsaid guard element at the upper extremity of the latter.

2. In an automatic filling replenishing loom or the class inwhichparting-and clamping blades are movable rearwardly into the shuttlebox to part and-withdraw therefrom the outgoing filling ends at the timeof a replenishing operation, said parting and clamping blades normallybeing disposed in aforwardly retracted position, the combination withsaid parting and clamping blades of a thread guard fixedly supported onsaid loom, said guard comprising a depending guard element having itslower end substantially at the level of said blades and to one side ofsaid blades, said guard element normally extending rearwardly of saidblades in the retracted position of the latter.

,3. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a thread cuttercomprising a stationary supporting bracket and parting and clampingmechanism supported thereon, said mechanism comprising pivotallyconnected shear blades and a clamping blade, all of said blades havingfree ends projecting rearwardly in a substantially horizontal directionfrom their said pivotal connection, in combination with a thread guardcomprising a supporting arm rigidly secured to said bracket, said armextending above and across said mechanism, and a guard element carriedby said arm on the side of said mechanism remote from said bracket, saidelement having a rear terminal end disposed rearwardly of andsubstantially level with said blades and sloping downwardly toward saidend.

4. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a thread cutter comprisinga stationary supporting bracket and parting and clamping mechanismsupported thereon, said mechanism comprising pivotally connected shearblades and a clamping blade, all of said blades having free endsprojecting rearwardly in a substantially horizontal direction from theirsaid pivotal connection, in combination with a thread guard comprising asupporting arm rigidly secured to said bracket, and a depending guardelement carried by said arm, the lower end of said guard element beingbelow the level of the upper edges of said blades and rearwardlythereof, to guide falling filling ends clear of said blades, anoverhanging stop portion projecting rearwardly from the upper extremityof said guard element to limit the upward movement of filling ends alongsaid element.

5. In an automatic filling replenishing loom, a thread cutter comprisinga stationary supporting bracket and parting and clamping mechanismsupported thereon, said mechanism comprising pivotally connected shearblades having free ends projecting rearwardly horizontally from theirpivotal connection, in combination with a thread guard comprising asupporting arm rigidly secured to said bracket, said thread guard beingadjustable in position, means for securing said thread guard in adesired position of adjustment and a guard element disposed closelyadjacent and to one side of said. blades, said element having arearwardly presented thread engaging face disposed rearwardly of thefree ends of said blades.

6. The combination defined in claim 5, wherein the supporting arm isprovided with a vertical bore through its free end, the said guardelement comprising a supporting shank vertically adjustable in saidbore, and means for maintaining said shank in any desired position ofvertical adjustment.

7. The combination defined in claim 5, wherein the said guard element isformed with a bore ae'otme therethrough substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis of said supporting arm, a bolt being threaded into theend of the arm through said bore, the said guard element beingadjustably swingable about said bolt.

8. In an automatic filling replenishing loom of the class in whichnormally forwardly retracted clamping and parting blades are projectedrearwardly into the shuttle 'box to part and forwardly withdraw theoutgoing filling end at the time of a bobbin transfer, the saidwithdrawn filling end extending laterally from beneath said blades, thecombination with said clamping and parting blades of a guard therefor,said guard comprising a rearwardly presented abutment located to oneside of said blades and extending vertically from a level substantiallyabove said blades to a level between the upper and lower edges of saidblades to prevent forward movement of wild yarn onto and 8 across saidblades. while avoiding interference with the outgoing filling endextending from be neath said blades, said abutment sloping downwardlyrearwardly whereby wild yarn falling thereacross may slide down same andfall therefrom clear of the blades, and an overhanging stop at the upperextremity of said abutment to prevent wild yarn from riding up over saidabut ment onto said blades.

RALPH L. TICE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,019,265 Lussier Mar. 5, 1912 1,487,074 Northrop Mar. 18,1924 1,647,103 Davis Oct. 25, 1927 2,001,310 Nichols May 14, 19352,424,019 Brown July 15, 1947

